STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL

private e-mail to me (and a hundred of my closest friends) | 1/19/04 | Dan Dawodu

[Dad was my hero]

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am Dan Dawodu, and I hope my business proposal will be a pleasant surprise to you, as we have had no prior business relationship. I am from Monrovia, Liberia in Africa. I am sixty-five years old and a Vice President in a major bank in Monrovia where I stumbled on this remarkable discovery I am about to share with you.

On June 6, 1997, a Canadian Oil consultant/contractor with the Liberian National Petroleum Corporation (LNPC), Mr. Barry Kelly made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at US$125,000,000.00 (One hundred and twenty- five Million Dollars) in my bank. Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. Several periodic reminders were sent but to no avail and finally we discovered from his contract employers, the Liberian National Petroleum Corporation that Mr. Barry Kelly died from an automobile accident. Further investigation revealed that Late Barry Kelly declared no next of kin on his sworn affidavits with the bank records. This sum of US$125,000,000.00 is still in my bank deposit accumulating interest yet unclaimed till date. According to Laws of Liberia, the government could confiscate this money if unclaimed for another two years.

I am therefore, most humbly and discreetly seeking a reliable, honest and trustworthy foreign associate and friend to help take delivery and secure these funds on my behalf, with the intention of investing in a possible profitable business in your country under your directive and supervision of my Personal Assistant Mr. Dave Johnson. Rather than having it seized by the authorities, and put towards their selfish, corrupt inhuman and oppressive goals. My family and I wish and intend to relocate to your country afterwards and so, I am requesting your help in buying two homes in which we shall live in your country.

The details of these and the manner these resources shall be transferred from my bank to your bank account which you shall provide, would be discussed during your meeting with my personal assistant Mr. Dave Johnson or our follow-up dialogue prior to commencing of the project. Please realize that I cannot divulge too much at this stage as it could compromise my identity and my goal. I shall settle all expense for this transaction. To this, I am offering you 15% of the total funds for your help.

Please reply immediately through the private email address below. Upon your reply, I shall make available to you more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction.

I strongly appeal you observe utmost confidentiality; if you regrettably choose not to assist me, please do not reveal this communiqué with anybody.

Awaiting your urgent reply through my email.

Thanks and regards.

Dan Dawodu

[Dad was my hero]

This is the second I've rec'd in just two weeks. Here is what I'm considering replying.

Dear Dan:

I cannot believe my good fortune!!!! Just this weekend I was praying to St Anthony to help me get money. On Friday I had to meet with the court appointed bankruptcy attorney to help me get things in order to file bankruptcy. My house is mortgaged to 175% of its market value, my 10 credit cards are maxed out to $250,000 total, my automobiles were repossessed, the government has tax liens against my home and is garnishing my wages for the next two years. I am accessing my e-mail account from a public library as even my PC has been repossessed. I have prayed for some opportunity such as the one you are presenting to come along to help me out of this hole I'm in.

It appears we can help each other out if you are just willing to advance me $1,750,000 US, I may be able to secure my position then help you out. Please reply to this e-mail and send me your account numbers to progress with this transaction.

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Freepers, your thoughts on anything to add that would even make it more pathetic would be welcome. Maybe I shouldn't respond as it might prompt even more of these but it seems to me asking them for money for a change could stop it.

Moderator, feel free to move this to wherever is most appropriate.

[saluki_in_ohio]

Don't even bother replying. Report it to the FTC.

[TheRightResponse]

Been around for years...

[EggsAckley]

LOL!!

[kinghorse]

Nothing can top their stupid scam. Sorry. I think it's useful to note that I received a similar proposal listing my vehicle on Autotrader. Within 24 hours I had a buyer but there was a hitch. His "client" had a refund check from a deal that fell through. He needed my "trust" to take that cashier's check and in exhange western union the difference. He would make arrangements to pick up the vehicle. Sounded very convincing except all his replies were coming around 2 am (high noon in Lagos??). My vehicle was offered for $8,200 and his check was for $15,000.

I think we ought to invade Nigeria just so we can kick ass on the rotten bastards.

[Snowy]

http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com/index.html

[Snowy]

http://www.scamorama.com

There's another one. Some of those are so funny! :)

[Az Joe]

I have strung these people along for weeks by giving them fake phone numbers to call and having "events" in my life (accidents, deaths, etc) prevent me from acting on their requests immediately.

[night reader]

Have you just been fired from your job, and is your wife suing for divorce, alimony and $20K/month child support? What about the hundred thou your doc wants before doing the bone marrow transplant?

[Dad was my hero]

My thought was that if I could present a situation which makes it appear that I have NO money whatsoever, they might leave me alone. Maybe the situation I presented could be used by others and they would stop circulating this. BTW, for those interested, the weather on the planet I live on is always beautiful. ;^)

I would report this if I thought there was anything some agency would do about it.

[Dad was my hero]

Love it! Might try to include that.

[Dad was my hero]

Definitely worth adding! Thanks.

[kcar]

What's amazing is that every year they reel in a new crop, despite the obviousness of the scam and the express alerts re: it.

[blanknoone]

I am actually impressed in that his spelling and grammar is much better than some I have seen. My standard tactic for telemarketers is to say that I would be very interested in hearing what they have to say, but could they hold on a moment. Every couple of minutes, I check back in and ask them to hold for a few more moments. Eventually they get it. The point is to waste their time and reduce the profitability of telemarketing in general.

I am wondering if something similar is applicable here. Maybe we should start mass email correspondence with them leading no where. Waste their time. I would certainly notify authorities as well, but I don't think it is a bad idea to get them so involved with several people so that they don't have the inclination or time to scam the more gullible. My understanding is that most this comes from internet cafes, where they pay, and given that most people are already wary of this, a nudge in profitability might push at least most out of the business.

[mrsmith]

You're out of luck. DU members have wheedled enough money from their parents' welfare checks to meet the offer.

They're gonna stick it to the man as soon as those millions clear! Hoo Boy!

[Rebelbase]

That has to be one of the funniest sites on the web. The section about the pigeon posing as a porn star and getting the spammer to travel out of country for a rendevous is hilarious.

[Dad was my hero]

have to go for now, will check back later and respond as necessary. Thanks for the comments so far.

[tom paine 2]

bump

[Snowy]

That has to be one of the funniest sites on the web. The section about the pigeon posing as a porn star and getting the spammer to travel out of country for a rendevous is hilarious.

"Scamorama" isn't bad either. If you go to the main page, scroll down and on the right, in red letters, you will see "There's gold in them thar hills", or something like that. It's a long read, but I was laughing so hard by the time I reached the end, I had to get out of my chair so I could breathe. :)